Innløsning (Redemption)
by AngelofBeauty88
Summary: Stripped of his powers and exiled to Earth, Loki is found by a young woman named Anya who offers to help him get back on his feet. But as time goes by, does Loki see her as just a tool to be used or something more? And can Anya possibly change Loki's mind, and heart, about revenge?
1. Eksil av en Prins

**Chapter 1: Eksil av en Prins ~Exile of a Prince~  
**  
Guilty.

He already knew what the verdict of this trial was. Everyone knew it, so in honesty the entire trial was nothing but a huge waste of time.

The raven haired prince was fully aware how the people of Asgard glared at him, how they whispered among themselves as the trial continued. About his actions against Midgard, about his true heritage as the son of Laufey, about everything they could gossip and mock him for. Not that he cared anymore. The people of Asgard truly accepted him. Even when they didn't know his true lineage, they never accepted or treated him the same as Thor. As the trial carried on, pointless though it was, the citizens of the Eternal Realm were either silent or whispering amongst themselves about the deeds of the silver-tongued prince, some commenting that they knew he would end up where he was now. Thus Loki knew many of them were even glad when the verdict was finally read, finding him guilty of all his crimes against the realm of Earth and its people.

As the people waited for the king to pass sentence, Loki blocked the others out of his mind. He could take any punishment, any torture, any fate they decided to inflict upon him. The Trickster just wanted it to be over and done with. He wanted to get away from the eyes of those who saw him as nothing but a monster and a disgrace. He wanted to get away from the gaze of the idiots who didn't understand his worth or his true potential. Loki wanted to just get away from all of them. As much as he enjoyed being the center of attention, the God of Mischief didn't like it when all people did was glare at him with contempt and hatred.

His so-called brother had tried pleading on his behalf to the Allfather, to at least lessen the sentence. Loki knew very well that many of those present wanted him to be executed for his crimes. His only saving grace from such a fate was that Odin still called him a son and allowed him to keep his status as a Prince of Asgard. And the laws of Asgard had a particular set of rules when regarding the members of the royal family. Somewhere deep in his heart, Loki felt a tiny trace of joy that the king who had raised him from infancy still looked upon him as his child, despite all the evil he had done. However, he refused to admit it to anyone, even to himself.

Loki could hear some of the people calling out and saying that his mouth should be sewn shut, to take away his greatest powers – those of his words. The thought made him shudder inwardly, though he showed no fear outwardly. Some shouted out that the Trickster be imprisoned, preferably for the end of his days. Some of the nobles even began saying how he should be imprisoned and further tortured in some manner for his actions. Even if they attempted it, they wouldn't succeed in convincing Odin to do such a thing. Still, the Jotun-born god couldn't help but wonder what fate the Allfather would ultimately decide on for him. As a father, Loki guessed that the gray haired god would try to be as merciful and lenient as possible. As a king, he knew Odin was required to carry out a fitting sentence to go with the crimes he had committed. It would be finding a punishment that would appeal to both sides of the King without seeming to act more as one than the other.

It wasn't until the following day that the Allfather passed sentence on his younger son. The choice of punishment had been decided. When the king began to speak, the entire room, if not the entire kingdom went quiet. Loki could see the inner turmoil in Odin's eye as the elder god began to speak.

"Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard, you have been found guilty of your crimes against the realm of Midgard and its inhabitants, including attempting to claim the realm for yourself. Many here have called for many sentences that would be fitting of the seriousness of your crimes. But as a member of the Royal Family, your fate will not be so harsh. Thus, it is after long consideration and deliberation that I, Odin Allfather, hereby decree, that your punishment is to be sent back to Earth, stripped of your powers, to live as a mortal."

Exile, to Earth. As a mortal.

Loki knew instantly that Thor had a hand in this. Who else but his idiot of a brother would convince Odin to have him exiled to the very realm he had tried to conquer? To inflict the same punishment that the Thunder God himself had endured at one point? However, the prince knew that it wouldn't matter in the end. If anything, Loki could turn this exile to an advantage. It would be difficult, but not impossible to achieve the goals he set. Indeed, the Liesmith was already at work plotting revenge against his brother and the Avengers. He had been doing so ever since returning to Asgard. And for once, Loki was glad to have the damned muzzle he'd been forced to wear. It hid the smirk crossing his lips.

However, his smirk faded as he glanced over at Frigga, who was looking close to tears after hearing her husband announce sentence on their son. Loki's heart sank at the sight of the distraught queen. Even if he detested Odin for lying to him and loathed Thor for always being the favorite child, Loki never once held any ill feelings towards the woman he called his mother. Frigga had been more support to him over the centuries than his father or brother or his so-called friends ever had. A sharp pain jabbed at the Trickster's heart, knowing that he was causing his mother all this pain. Only now did he regret his actions, if only because he saw the effect they, along with his trial, had upon his dear mother. The prince could do nothing but turn his head and shut his eyes before he was escorted back to his chambers. At dawn, Loki was to have his punishment carried out.

Loki found sleep evasive as he laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling of his room. In some ways, once dawn arrived, it would be as if he were going to his own execution. Thankfully, exile was a far more lenient punishment, but to have his powers stripped away from him was going to be bad enough for a sorcerer like Loki. The prince decided to make sure that there would be a way to fix that little detail in his banishment. Since he couldn't sleep anyways, Loki began to work on his plans that he could take care of now. He wasn't sure when exactly the guards would be coming to take him away, so the sooner he finished, the better.

Moving off of his bed, Loki sat down on the floor, tracing some symbols onto the ground that glowed with a faint light. Quietly, the Trickster began to create small, clear crystals until he had a total of seven. One was clearly larger than the others, but Loki had done so intentionally. After he checked the strength and durability of the jewels, he began to focus on the jewels, watching as the colors slowly turned from clear to a deep emerald green, just like his eyes. The gems began to pulse with a faint glow, causing the prince to smirk at his completed work before placing a hand to his forehead. Although he had succeeded, the process had drained him more than he expected it to. Loki shook his head lightly as he hid the crystals in his pocket and then moved himself back onto his bed. This time, sleep was able to overpower the prince, and Loki soon was in a deep, dreamless sleep.

**************************

So I FINALLY finished the first chapter of one of a couple Marvel-related fics I've been working on. This is a post-Avengers fic, obviously, and it's about Loki and my OC Anya. Not as long as I would've liked, but I should have the second chapter done relatively soon.

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY! I MAKE NO PROFIT FROM THIS AND THIS IS PURELY FOR ENJOYMENT!**

Loki, Thor, etc © Stan Lee, Marvel


	2. Redning Til Sjøs

**Chapter 2: Redning Til Sjøs ~Rescue At Sea~ **

The early morning air was sweet and salty, a subtle mixture of the winter air being filled with the scents of the season and the usual salt of the sea from the nearby beaches. The sun wasn't set to rise for at least another half hour or so, and the stars were still easily visible, despite the lights of the city blocking most of them out. Despite being late December, the morning was warm thanks to the usual Texas heat that lasted year round. A small, content sigh escaped a young woman who stood leaning against the railing of a small sidewalk that led down towards the small beach area. The sight of the lapping waves at such an hour when most were still asleep or too busy preparing for the day ahead was soothing.

Anya let her smile grow a tiny bit as she leaned back, her hands gripping the metal bar of the railing to keep her balance. A small, light wind picked up, causing the young woman's white cosplay gown to flutter against her legs. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the salty beach air, continuing to watch the moon and stars. Letting go of the railing entirely, she started walking down towards the beach, humming lightly to herself and contemplating the idea of returning to her hotel to fetch her camera to get some pictures of the sunrise. Ultimately, she decided against it, enjoying the quiet of the morning too much to want to leave, even for a short while. Inhaling deeply again, the golden blonde haired woman took slow steps as she walked along the beach, letting her shoes half-sink into the sand with each step she took. However, her peaceful thoughts and daydreams were interrupted by a sudden bright, almost blinding light. It came out of nowhere, suddenly shooting straight downward from the sky right into the waters of the Gulf.

Anya's eyes widened as she saw what appeared to be a person falling from the sky, as if the light was acting as some sort of portal between here and somewhere else. At first, she was terrified, remembering the incident in New York some months ago. But when the strange light faded and the figure continued to plummet from the sky, landing straight into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Anya felt her heart stop for a split second. She had to try and help that person. Landing in the water was sure to help 'cushion' the fall, but she had no idea how far they had fallen, or if they were even conscious. And if not, they were likely to drown if she didn't help. Her eyes scanned the area quickly and due to the early hour, the beach was all but deserted save for herself and a number of seagulls.

'I'm know I'm gonna regret this somehow.' The blonde woman thought to herself as she hurriedly kicked off her shoes before she ran straight into the water, still wearing her cosplay gown, swimming out towards the floating figure as fast as she was able. She found it harder than she expected, aware that the weight of the fabric would make swimming harder for her. "Hey! Hey, are you okay?!" She called out, glad to see that they were still afloat for the moment. "Can you hear me?" She asked, wading water for a moment, hoping the person was alive still. She could feel the fabric of her dress trying to pull her down, but she managed to stay afloat.

When she saw that the person, which was now obvious was male, starting to sink underwater, Anya gasped and began to increase her speed as much as she could. Having never gone swimming in a gown before, the blonde knew that this would've been faster and easier if she'd been wearing a bathing suit. And while the fabric wasn't extremely thick, the two layers of material was more than enough to cause problems for swimming. She mentally cursed herself but focused on swimming and saving the man's life. "Hang on!" She yelled out, trying to remain calm as best she could. Taking a deep breath of air, Anya dove underwater, trying to keep up as the stranger sunk faster in the water.

Loki's eyes opened briefly as he sank deeper into the water. He could see blurred images, faint shapes with shadows, hints of the morning light adding to his confusion. The pain from the vast journey through the realms was still too strong for him, making it hard for him to think straight about anything at the moment. The prince thought he saw a hand reaching out towards him, as if to help save him. He saw the faint outline of a face before he blacked out once more.

Anya quickly grabbed the stranger's hands, noticing they were bound together with some sort of metal handcuffs. She ignored the cuffs for the moment, pulling with all her strength and struggling to get back up to the surface before both of them drowned. Breaking the surface, the blonde began to cough for a few moments before pulling the man up out of the water as best she could. "Oh gods, you're heavy…" She muttered, coughing again as she began to swim back to the shore, half-carrying, half-dragging the stranger with her. Either way, she was glad that he hadn't fallen too incredibly far from the beach, otherwise she didn't think that he would've survived at all.

A yelp escaped the human woman as a large wave crashed over them, dragging them underwater once again. Anya recovered as quickly as she could, breaking the surface and coughing as she struggled to keep her head above water and not go under again. It took her a moment to notice that the man was missing, prompting to take as deep a breath as she could before diving under again. The double layers of fabric of her cosplay gown made it hard for her to dive each time, but somehow, she managed to submerge herself entirely. She could see the stranger sinking like a rock once again, which only urged her to swim faster. Something that was not easily accomplished in her current situation.

When she finally caught the stranger again, the blonde struggled to keep a firm grip on him this time as she swam back up to the surface. This time, she made sure to link his arms around her shoulders. "Hang on just a bit longer." Anya said, not even sure if the man she was trying to rescue could hear her. She winced at the amount of weight she had to pull, her gown and the stranger both weighing her down greatly. The human woman kicked as hard as she could to swim back to the beach, having to stop once or twice to readjust the weight of the stranger on her back.

Upon reaching the shore at last, Anya began coughing again as she dragged herself away from the tides, surprised that she'd managed to pull herself and the strange, if not handsome, man, from a possible watery death. "Hey… Are you all right?" She asked, checking to see if he was even still alive. After noticing that he wasn't breathing, she froze. Had she not reached him in time? Placing her fingers to his neck, the young woman found a weak pulse, causing her to give a sigh of relief and a tiny smile. It didn't last however, as she moved to perform CPR, wanting to make sure that he would be fine. It took a few tries before she finally got a reaction from the man, watching him as his emerald green eyes shot open and he began coughing out the sea water he had swallowed unintentionally.

"Oh thank gods…" Anya whispered to herself as she saw that the stranger was alive. The human woman let herself collapse in the sand for the moment, trying to recover some of her strength after that strange ordeal. She didn't see the man sitting up, or see him easily break the cuffs he'd been wearing on his wrists. For a few minutes, she didn't care about anything other than trying to relax and recover.

Loki sat up and stared at the young woman, coughing a few more times to empty his lungs of any unwanted seawater. First, he noticed the gown that she wore. A white, satin-like fabric with touches of gold around the top of her bodice that clung to her body, now that she was soaked. Secondly, he noticed how her hair was wild and somewhat ragged, more than likely as a result from rescuing him from the water. Finally, he noticed the temperature of the air. It was cool, like late autumn or early winter. But this caused him to notice that the woman who saved him, for whatever reason, was shivering from the cold air. "You should remove your gown." He said after a moment.  
Anya looked at the man, blushing pink in a matter of seconds. "Excuse me?"  
"You're soaked to the bone. Continuing to wear that garment will only make you sick." Loki said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Oh. Right." The human woman replied, standing up and wiping off as much sand as she could from her gown. "C'mon. The hotel's not too far from here. I'm sure they can have our clothes dried for us." She added before offering a hand to the prince.  
Loki stared at her hand for a moment before frowning and slapping her hand away, as if insulted by the very notion. "You would dare try to lay your hands upon me so casually? To dare think that a filthy mortal like you should believe herself worthy to touch an Asgardian prince, either must be quiet bold or quite stupid."  
Anya raised a confused eyebrow at the 'prince' before frowning at him, hearing him insult her. "I, sir, will have you know, that I am the one who just saved your life from drowning and nearly died myself in the process. And all I was doing was offering you some help to stand up and to help you walk, if you needed it."  
"I do not require nor want your help, wench." The Asgardian said curtly, moving to try and stand up on his own. He found his legs weak but was able to stand. "Besides, what reason do you have in aiding me, let alone saving my life?"  
"It's called being a decent person." The blonde replied, putting her hand on her hip. "Or is such a concept completely foreign to you?"  
Loki looked at the woman again, his eyes narrowing. "People say that, and yet they still tend to want something in return. You can just as easily be the same way."  
Anya narrowed her own blue eyes in response. "Look pal. I saw you fall _from the sky_ straight into the Gulf of Mexico. I put my own life in danger while trying to save yours. The least I'm asking for is just a thank you. Or is that too difficult for you to manage?"  
The prince growled a bit before covering his mouth, coughing once again. His actions only earned a sigh from the mortal woman. "Look. Let me take you back to my hotel. You can dry off, clean up, get some food, do what you need to. After that, you can do what you want."

As much as he hated to admit it, even to himself, Loki couldn't deny the woman's words had some merit to them. He had no idea where on Midgard he had landed, nor did he know if those damned Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D. were going to be able to find him easily. Before, he'd had minions to help him navigate through the world of mortals. This time, he was on his own. Letting her words sink in, the prince looked at the young woman again. Despite her soaked and unkempt state, the Asgardian did admit that she was rather attractive. Plus she had a good amount of spirit to her. And if she seemed to be eager to help him, he could probably use her kindness to his advantage for the current time. "Very well then. I will follow you, for the time being. At least until I am able to find suitable lodgings for myself."

"All right then. If you'll just follow me then, Mister…" She said, pausing and looking at him, to ask for the stranger's name.  
"I am Loki, Prince of Asgard." The royal said firmly, watching her reaction carefully.  
"Prince, huh?" Anya said, raising an eyebrow, assuming that he wasn't being serious with her. "Well, Prince Loki, you can call me Princess Serenity."  
Loki only scoffed lightly. "I highly doubt that you're a princess. Your manner is coarse and unrefined."  
"I never said I was serious, for one. But let's just get going before we catch a cold out here." The blonde said with a light groan. "Though for the record, my name really is Anya." She added as she began to lead him back to her hotel.

****************

"Sir! We're picking up on high levels of electromagnetic energy located in the South Central region. Near the Gulf coastline." An agent said, turning to look at the director of SHIELD.  
"Can you pinpoint it?" The one eyed man asked, walking over to take a look at the information for himself.  
"Working on it now, Sir." The agent replied, typing quickly. "It's almost as if the signal landed directly in the gulf itself."  
"Find the closest land location of that signal and send someone to investigate. Electromagnetic levels like those can only mean that we have visitors from Asgard. And I want to make sure we know who exactly is visiting us this time." Nick Fury said, his eye narrowing a bit.  
"Yes sir." The man said with a nod, continuing to type while making a connection as Fury moved to return to his previous position on the Helicarrier.  
After a moment, Fury looked at the agent again. "Better yet… Contact Agent Romanoff. Tell her we have an important mission for her."

****************  
SO! Loki is now on Earth. And someone else has already taken notice of his arrival. And Anya may soon regret getting involved with the Asgardian prince. Please review and let me know what you think!

**I OWN NOTHING BUT ANYA AND THE STORY!**

Loki, Nick Fury, etc © Stan Lee, Marvel  
Anya © Me


	3. Dans og Maskerte Ansikter

**Chapter 3: Dans og Maskerte Ansikter ~Dancing and Masked Faces~**

Loki stared at the television with a bored expression as he sat on one of the beds in Anya's hotel room while the mortal woman herself was busy showering in the other room. The prince was less than thrilled about this situation. Anya had insisted that he wait for her to clean up and then would allow him to do the same if he wanted. A maid, or at least he assumed the woman to be a maid, had arrived a while ago to pick up their clothes to be cleaned and said they would be returned as soon as possible. But, obviously since Loki did not pack any spare changes of clothes, he was stuck in nothing but a white fleece robe that Anya had allowed him borrow for the time being. It was embarrassing, but the banished prince forced himself to make due for now. While he could use his crystals, doing so would only drain him and cause him to attract attention to Heimdall. And the last thing he needed was the Gatekeeper watching him intently so soon after his exile. No, he would wait. The crystals would be used only when the time was right and no sooner.

The Asgardian resolved to wait and see where he was, where he should go and if any of these mortals were of any use to him. The young woman who had saved him may have some potential use to him, but Loki would need to assess her entirely. She was at least brave enough to rescue him from drowning, even if he had been a total stranger to her. If he was honest with himself, Loki found that he was still confounded by the notion that she had saved his life just to help him. But he also found it strangely alluring. He also couldn't deny that she was lovely, in her own way. She was nothing like the many goddesses of Asgard, or the Elven maidens of Alfheim, however, she still had her own appeal to her. The exiled deity made a note to keep an eye on her and see what else he could learn about her. What he could possibly use to control her at some point in the future.

The door to the bathroom finally opened, releasing a small gust of steam and the scent of flowers. Loki stood up as he saw Anya walking out, drying her hair with a towel, dressed in a powder blue robe that looked like it was made of silk or satin. The patterns on the robe were oriental looking, made up of pale yellow chrysanthemum flowers along with lavender and cherry blossom pink butterflies. "The bath is all yours, if you want to wash up yourself." The mortal woman said, looking at the prince with a soft blush on her cheeks.  
"Thank you. I think I shall do so." He replied, getting off the bed and walking past her. He could still feel the sea salt in his hair and clinging to his skin, and a chance to clean himself was truly appealing. Once again, the Trickster caught the floral scent that now clung to the girl's body. "What scent is that?"  
"Oh, it's Japanese Cherry Blossom. It's my favorite." Anya replied, blushing even more as she rushed to her suitcase to get some real clothes on.  
"It's nice." Loki said before stepping into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He decided to clean himself and then have his 'savior' show him around this place so that he could get a much better understanding of this world.

****************

The rest of the day could only be described as chaotic. Loki had been shocked by the numerous attendees of this 'convention'. He still didn't fully understand the purpose of it. Anya had explained that it was much like a festival in many ways. There was music, dancing, food, vendors, entertainment, all of which were prominent in the many festivals Loki had attended in Asgard. The only thing he still didn't understand at all were the costumes many of the mortals wore. The people that Anya called 'horror fans' confused the exiled prince the most. He honestly saw no point to dressing up like half-dead monsters that belonged in Helhiem. And there were multiple times when Anya had to restrain him from attacking people dressed up like the Avengers. While some onlookers thought it amusing to see someone fighting one of 'Earth's mightiest heroes', Anya herself had been worried about getting into trouble with hotel and con security, and had to drag Loki away from the poor cosplayer.

After that incident, the day was relatively calm. Anya showed Loki around the dealer's room and the artist's alley, buying from both. Loki was absolutely confounded by her excitement at the small plush toys she had bought for herself. They attended a few panels, a couple of contests, including the karaoke contest. Loki had to admit he was pleasantly surprised when Anya went up to compete, winning third place overall.

Anya let out a small sigh of relief as she walked into the large room where the masquerade ball was being held. Tables were set up for attendees to sit down and relax, each one decorated with bits of glitter and confetti, small fake flowers and a few cutout masks. The music was soft and calming at the moment, but she knew that there were likely to be some much faster songs later, once things began to get into full swing. Though after the day that she'd had, the mortal woman welcomed the calm and relaxing music full heartedly. "This should be more suited to your style." She said, looking at Loki as she pulled out a thin white mask for herself to wear for the occasion. "I'm sure you've been to a masquerade before."

Loki only nodded, observing his surroundings. He wore his Asgardian royal attire once more, now that they were clean. But when the human woman had suggested he attend this masquerade, he assumed he should blend in. With her help, he found a black and gold mask with two horns growing back from one of the vendors. It reminded him of his usual horned helmet, and made his feel a brief longing to return to Asgard. He looked around the room, finding it acceptable. Being an Asgardian Prince, such a formal setting was normal for him. The deity had long since lost track of how many royal balls, parties, and formal gatherings he had attended even from his young childhood. Compared to the events from earlier on in the day, this would be easier and more familiar to handle. "Plenty, sometimes in different forms and no one was ever the wiser." The god informed her as he walked on alone, though slowly. His emerald eyes scanned the room, observing each and every being here, like they were weapons and he was judging which to choose. But he could not judge much, not in a situation or environment like this.

"Just don't attack anyone again. It was bad enough when you nearly assaulted that one Iron Man cosplayer..." Anya said, walking over to one of the closest tables and placing her things down. Once she felt her items were secure, she proceeded to place her own mask on and looked at the Trickster. "We should be lucky they thought you were just acting."  
Loki resisted the urge to roll his emerald eyes. "What man is he if he can't defend himself?" He was still observing the mortals, but looked at her, his green eyes piercing her blue ones. "And do not assume you can order me, mortal. I act as I please, and at least when I must take a disguise, it is with reason, instead of pointless." He seemed to say it pointed, crossing his arms as he watched the crowd. He was beginning to wonder just what use Anya would be to him, other than a guide in this foreign land.  
"These are normal people. They're here to have a good time, not fight for their lives." She said with a loud sigh. "Had you made enough of a fuss, the hotel would've called the police."

"Are you quite done?" Loki glanced to look at her. "Or do feel a prolong need to parent me even when you know nothing of me?"  
The blonde woman sighed, brushing her hair with her fingers to fix her appearance a bit. "I'd rather not get kicked out of the con or hotel, so please, I am begging you, don't cause any more trouble." She said, bowing her head a little.  
"No more trouble than needed, my dear." Loki muttered and chose then to walk through the room, testing his power. He attempted to read the humans he past, but his power were now all-but gone. He could barely read anything of any of these people, which only frustrated him further and left him feeling vulnerable. Something he would never admit to feeling. He sighed, finding a dark corner to observe from as he drowned himself in thought. The god knew he must find allies, some with enough power and skill to have any influence here in this world.  
The 'princess' grumbled lightly, letting Loki walk off while she went and got a drink for herself, and one for him as well. Part of her kept asking why she was risking her own neck for the man, no, the god who she had rescued. Moreover, from what she learned from him, he was the same god who had caused the crisis in New York some months ago. So why was she still hanging around him? Helping him? Well, she'd figure that out in due time, she told herself. Some time passed before Anya found him, sighing lightly as she walked over. "Something wrong?" She asked, offering him the bottle of Dr. Pepper she bought for him.

Loki raised a brow, taking the drink from her slowly and lightly sniffing the lid of the bottle. Ignoring her question, he asked, "Is this a refreshment of some sort?"  
"Yes. Remember that drink I introduced you to back in my room? It's the same one. It's just in a bottle, rather than a can." She told him. "A lot of drinks are distributed that way. It gives some variety."  
Loki nodded, removing the cap and then took a sip of the drink. He was still unused to the taste, but that didn't mean he didn't like it. "Why did you bring me along to this?" He asked after a few sips, enjoying the taste of the strange but sweet dark elixir.  
"To the convention? Well… Because for one, I didn't think you'd want to stay locked up in my room all day. Another thing is that... well, I suppose since I saved you, I'm responsible for you. Until we can figure out how you'll handle yourself." Anya replied, rubbing her arm lightly. "My friends keep saying my kindness will be the death of me."  
The prince only laughed, shaking his head and taking another sip before sighing. Perhaps his words could still of use to him. He smiled at Anya, almost smirking in a seductive manner. "And what do you do, might I ask? What purpose do you serve to your fellow humans?"

"What... purpose?" The girl repeated, sounding confused as she looked at the other attendees who were dancing and engaging in conversations. "I'm not sure how to answer that. If you mean what is my job, or occupation, I'm a part-time worker at a store in the mall back home."  
Loki raised a brow, resisting the urge to sigh. Of all souls to be sent to assist him, this is what he got? He let the sigh out slow and carefully. Perhaps there was more to her than what could be seen. "And your reason for trying to help me at all?"  
"You don't need a reason to help others. But when you fell out of the sky, straight into the Gulf, you could've died. I don't know if anyone else was around. But I just felt the resolve to help save you." Anya answered honestly.  
Loki looked her in the eyes again, and yet it was suddenly soft. "But beyond saving me, why do you offer to do anything else for me? You know full well what I did in New York..." He said, recalling the painful memories of his brother and those damned Avengers stopping the Chitauri invasion. Stopping his chance to become king. Quickly he pushed the memories down to the back of his mind.

"I'll admit I'm still a bit surprised about that myself. But why are you here on Earth? Isn't it because of what you did in New York?" She asked calmly. "As I said, I saved your life, so if nothing else, I'm responsible for you in some way. I mean, you don't have anywhere to go, do you?"  
"...Not exactly, no...So perhaps, I should be appreciating your offer better..." Loki smiled a tiny bit. The prince watched her to see any signs of her catching on to his sudden change of mood. "I'm here as punishment; powerless and here to learn the lesson the Allfather intends me to." He explained, not that he intended to learn what he was meant to, of course. But he would play the part until he had the power he needed, if not more.

Anya turned her head away, blushing lightly at his smile. She never really noticed just how handsome he was up to that point. Then again, he was a god, she told herself. It made sense that he was more handsome than a normal human. "I'm sure you'll learn some sort of lesson." The music changed, turning into a song the human woman recognized. "Do you want to dance?" She asked, giving a tiny smile and a curtsy.  
The Asgardian considered it for a moment, but taking into account her blush, he decided it could do more good then it would harm. And he might as well enjoy himself, if only a little. It was also amusing that a lady was asking him to dance, since he was used to men asking a lady. Loki took her hand and kissed the back of her palm, recalling his royal upbringing all too easily, smiling at her again. "I suppose that I could dance for a little while." With that, he pulled her to the middle of the dance floor.  
"I hope you know how dance in a modern day setting." The 'princess' said, glad that the song currently playing was slower, like a waltz or a tango.

Loki took her into his arms, holding their hands up as his other lay on her lower back. "The only moves this body has learned are those in the ballrooms of my kingdom, and those in the seclusion of my bedroom, my dear. So don't expect anything more than the former." He smirked, his tone playful and even suggestive before beginning to pull her along to the music, swift and floating.  
Anya's blush deepened as she felt the deity pull her closer, his hand resting on her back before leading them around the makeshift dance floor. She was a bit shocked by how much skill and grace he had as a dancer. His bedroom comment only made her blush deepen further, trying to control herself. Loki twirled her so suddenly, she didn't have time to stop him. And then she was back in his arms, closer, as he moved their bodies and feet to the music.  
The mortal girl had to force herself to stay focused on dancing correctly, rather than listen to the comments of the other congoers about how they seemed to be moving like professional dancers. In a way, she couldn't help like she was in a sort of fairy tale. She was at a ball, dressed up like a princess, and dancing with a handsome prince. Maybe not a 'normal' prince but still, handsome regardless. A part of her didn't want the dance to end at all. It all seemed too... magical. However, her mature mind took over again, reminding her that her dance partner was a chaotic god who had attempted to turn the planet into his personal kingdom.  
Loki's eyes kept falling to Anya as they danced, trying to focus as much of his magic on reading her as best he could, but she was difficult to read, or at least to understand... She knew who he was and what he could and would do to her, if he so chose to. And yet, she did not tear away, did not run, did not shun him. Yes, she mothered him for his actions, but nothing more. He felt reminded of his adoptive mother for a moment, before averting his eyes to push away the thought of her and how he felt knowing how he'd hurt her. As the song came to an end, though, he slowed to a stop, giving a decent smile again. "Any other suggestions?"

"I.. uh..." She began to say, still flustered by everything she had felt in just one dance.

"Excuse me, do you mind if I cut in?" A smooth female voice asked as a dark haired girl tapped Loki's shoulder, smiling. "I'd love to dance with a professional."  
Loki only raised a brow, still holding a smirk. "And who might you be, dear?"  
"I'm Melissa. But some just call me Rayne." The young woman said, offering her hand to the god, still smiling at him, essentially ignoring Anya altogether.  
"I'm Anya. This is...Henry." The blonde girl said, quickly speaking the first male name she could that think of.  
The Asgardian prince raised his brow at Anya's name for him, before laughing and taking the 'elf' girl's hand and kissing it. "And you seek a dance with me, hmm? No better suitors here?"  
"None like you, hot stuff." Melissa said, giving a flirtatious smile to Loki. The woman was dressed up like an elf of sorts, probably from World of Warcraft or League of Legends, maybe even Lord of the Rings, Anya guessed. She wasn't entirely sure.

Loki could easily tell her tone was hinting, inwardly scoffing. He was half amused and half put off by it and its obviousness. It reminded the prince of certain women in the royal court, the sort who would flatter and flirt with him for the intentions of trying to rise higher in standing or get closer to his half-brother, or even worse, both. Pushing the memories away, Loki glanced to Anya. "If my date wouldn't mind, I could spare a dance." He smirked at Anya, almost wanting to chuckle as he waited for her reaction and answer.  
Anya looked at him, not sure how to react at first. A part of her wanted to tell the other woman off, to take her obvious sexual advances elsewhere. Another part of her wanted to see how Loki would react to the other woman. "...It's, up to you." She replied, trying to hide her surprising jealousy.  
Loki chuckled then turned back to the darker haired woman. "Then, for this next song, I'm all yours, dear." He told Melissa, taking her in his arms as another song began.  
Anya stepped back, watching as Melissa began to dance with the Trickster god, probably completely unaware of who he really was. She picked up her drink and Loki's heading back to the table where she'd left her belongings.

"Looks like your girlfriend wasn't too happy about letting another woman dance with you. Not that I blame her for wanting to keep a gorgeous thing like you to herself." Melissa said, starting to dance, shaking her hips and half-grinding against the exiled god.  
"Well, it's not as though she has anything to worry about." The raven haired prince said. The song was grating on his nerves, but not nearly as much as this woman. She went on talking about herself, trying to tempt him with her skimpy costume. It was all too obvious that Melissa just wanted to sleep with him. He had no use for a whore.  
"So, Henry, mind if I get your number? Maybe we can meet up later?" She asked, leaning close as if to try and kiss him.  
Loki continued to sweep her away for a bit longer, but when the song was nearly over, he leaned forward to Melissa's ear. "A gorgeous man like myself would not fall to the pitiful charms of such a woman as you, dear. If you wish to act like a harlot, you should do so around men who are more than willing to satisfy your lust."  
"Excuse me?" The dark haired woman asked, looking utterly insulted. "Just who the hell do you think you are, you bastard?"  
As the song came to an end, he kissed her cheek, looking her dead in the eye. The power he still had retained terrified the mortal woman to the very core of her soul. "I am not some weak-willed fool of a man who listens to his lust more than to his reason. Nor am I attracted to women who only wish to sleep with me for my physical appearance. Next time you intend to tempt a man, make sure he is either a weaker man or you have better skills." With that, Loki left her alone and returned to the table where Anya was sitting.

Taking his drink from her, Loki placed a light kiss on the blonde girl's cheek, earning a tiny squeak from her in response. "I must say, my dear Moon Princess, you're lighter on your feet than she was." He said as he sat down next to her.  
"I took dance for a few years in high school." Anya said, hoping that her deep blush was hidden by her mask. "I take it that lady didn't seem to catch your fancy?"  
"My dear, that young lady obviously wasted her time in trying to learn the ways of temptation and seduction only to fail. She dances like a young deer attempting to skate on ice." The god replied. "Which by the way, you do a much better job of hiding your attraction." He said, but smirked as he then took another sip of his soda.  
"I-I'm not attracted to you." Anya tried to lie, turning her head away, crossing her arms in front of her chest.  
"The flush of your cheeks says otherwise, my dear, so I suggest you not waste your time lying." He advised, but chuckled.  
"Are you sure you don't want to leave with Melissa? Or any of the other many women who have been eyeing you up all evening?" Anya asked him, gesturing to some nearby girls who were obviously staring at the Trickster.  
Loki just chuckled softly. "Are you suddenly wanting me off your hands now? Am I too much of a responsibility?" He asked, watching her carefully.  
"I didn't say that." She said, looking back at him. "But I thought you wanted to get away from me."  
"Truly, I believe I do, but then again..." He looked to her with an expression that was supposed to look naively curious. "Honestly...where would I go?"

"...You can stay with me, for a while." Anya offered, seeming to speak before she really thought about what she had been saying. "I live closer inland but if I'm responsible for you, then I guess the best solution would be to take you back to my home."  
"Is that so? You're going to bring an other-worldly terrorist into your home?" The Asgardian noble questioned.  
"Would you rather take your chances out there? Most people would've turned you over to the authorities long ago when they found out who you were." She said calmly, before taking a long drink of her own soda.  
"That's why I question you, Anya." He said, as if it was obvious. "Most of you mortals with a sense of 'morals' would turn me away, knowing what I can and will do."  
"I try to be a good person. So I'm willing to take a risk and help you out." She told him.  
He shrugged his shoulders a little. "Well, then, should you get a medal." The prince said, and took another sip of his drink. Still, he wanted to question her further... It just didn't make sense. But he stopped himself, knowing that if he continued to, she might just change her mind and the Prince would be without the only aid he's come across so far.  
"So, Henry, are you willing to stay with me for a while?" Anya asked him.  
Loki chuckled. "...Must I go by that name?" He questioned. "Do you want to be caught and thrown in jail?" She questioned back.  
"Let me asked the question differently; are there any more appealing names? Or can you at least give me a reason why Henry is a good enough alias?"  
"I'll let you decide a surname, but Henry is a common enough name. I'm sorry to say that Loki stands out too much. And in your current situation, you don't want to stand out. If you want, I can pick a different one for you." The girl said, shivering lightly.  
Loki noticed her shiver, a little surprised. "Are you cold?" He inquired, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"...A little bit." She said, standing up, hearing a song that she loved starting to play over the speakers.  
The prince watched her react to the music then, before giving a chuckle that was almost a sigh. "I assume you might like another dance?"  
"Well, if His Highness can be bothered to humor a lady." She said, giving another curtsey, her tone soft but sarcastic.  
"I would be honored to humor a lady and grant her request to dance once more. Also, it would be amusing if I could pull another blush from those cheeks of yours." The prince said, standing and taking her hand again, pulling her gently to dance once more.  
"Now you're just trying to rile me up." Anya said under her breath, struggling not to blush.  
He just laughed at that, saying no more, just laughing before he pulled her into his arms as before, as they danced to the new song. The steps were a bit different, but just as smooth and graceful.  
Anya let him lead, letting herself be caught up in their dance, her gown flowing around her like a flower on water.  
He held her closer, his arm wounding around her more. He chuckled, for this was an attempt to make her blush more, as well as possibly warm her with the heated reaction.  
Anya locked eyes with him as the prince pulled her close, sapphire meeting emerald. She seemed to search his eyes, as if looking for a particular answer.  
Loki stared back, still smirking, but he found himself almost admiring her eyes. The sapphire shade was one he could continue to look at. But he began to wonder just what her eyes were searching for as she looked to him. He decided to stop trying to figure her out, at least for now. And Loki had to admit that he was wrong about an earlier thought.

Anya wasn't lovely. She was beautiful.

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*faints* I'm sorry this took so long! This chapter wanted to be a royal bitch... But I have to thank my friends Jaden and Luna who helped me with writing out parts of this chapter! Love you guys!

Melissa is just one of those one appearance characters. I'm sure that those of you who go to conventions know that she's based off those attendees who are just there looking for hookups.

So, next chapter, the two will be heading back to Anya's place, and we'll look in on some of the Avengers.

Anyways, please comment and review! Let me know what you think!

**I OWN NOTHING BUT ANYA AND THE STORY!**

Loki © Stan Lee, Marvel  
Anya © Me


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